Halifax MZ526 damaged in the air, landing location unconfirmed. Probably Croft.
On the night of 26th / 27th April 1944 this 431 Squadron aircraft was used to flying an operational flight to bomb Essen. The time any of the 431 Squadron aircraft set out from Croft airfield on this date is not given in their squadron records. The crew released their bomb load onto the target area at 01.31 from 22,000 feet. Shortly after releasing their load the crew believed that a heavy flak burst occurred under their aircraft but what actually happened was the the aircraft was hit and damaged by falling incendiary bombs released by a higher flying aircraft. A fire started in the starboard wing behind the inner engine and also in the rear fuselage just in front of the rear turret. While on fire the aircraft was coned by between twenty and thirty search lights and to shake them off the pilot climbed into vapour trails and the searchlights were lost. During this, flight engineer went to the rear of aircraft without oxygen and fought the fire for twenty minutes until fire extinguished. Because of the need to protect the rear of the aircraft from enemy fighters the rear gunner remained in his turret despite the fire in the rear fuselage. Some 90 of the 4lb incendiary bombs had failed to release and were brought back to Yorkshire. The AM Form 1180 states the location of the landing was Croft. The Croft station record book states that this aircraft's crew also believed that the undercarriage was faulty so received instruction to make an emergency diversion but does not state where the landing was made other than they landed at 04.38hrs. There is no mention the landing occurred at the emergency strip at Carnaby in their station records. There is also no mention of the landing being made anywhere but at Croft in No.6 Group's flying control log.
Pilot - P/O Ian Cameron Gilchrist RAFVR (171733).
Navigator - Sgt L F Ralph RAFVR (1399159).
Air Bomber - Sgt J A Wise RAFVR (1576348).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Ram Adhur Bahadur-Singh RAFVR (1800011).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Sidney Myers RAFVR (986356).
Mid Upper Gunner - Sgt William Werner Sivertsen RAFVR (1313198).
Mid Under Gunner - Sgt Donald Clifford McPherson RCAF (R/192879).
Rear Gunner - Sgt Irvin James Kinney RCAF (R/250856).